A whole plate negative. A port broadside view of the United States Navy screw sloop Nipsic (1863 (rebuilt 1878)) at moorings in Gravesend Reach, River Thames. She has a 3 masted auxiliary barque rig with 3 yards on each of her fore and main masts. A number of small boats are alongside and Tilbury Fort is in the background. The original glass plate negative has peeled and was discarded in October 1981. A safety sheet film negative has been produced from a 12x10 photographic print made in the 1950s from the original negative. The Nipsic was originally built as a gunboat by the Portsmouth Navy Yard, launched 15 June 1863, but was 'rebuilt' as a sloop by Washington Navy Yard between 1874 and 1879. The first Nipsic was completely dismantled and some of her timbers were used in the second Nipsic, which was substantially heavier, longer, wider, deeper, more heavily armed and with completely different machinery.